The present invention relates to a fluid filtering mechanism, and more particularly to a fluid filter apparatus applied to a piping system through which for instance oil flows.
According to the conventional technique, there has been ordinarily used a filter apparatus having a filter chamber provided with a filter element therein capable of being removably inserted or positioned. This filter apparatus is interposed between hydraulic systems or lubricant oil supplying piping systems in order to obtain a required and desired effect. When the above described conventional apparatus disposed in a piping of the above mentioned fluid system, it is necessary to take the filter element out in order to carry out the exchange or the cleaning operation of the filter element. In this case, it is desired that the flow of the fluid in the piping system be stopped and the fluid be prevented from flowing into the filter chamber.
Therefore, in conventional, externally controllable valves have been respectively placed at a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet of the filter apparatus in order to stop the flow. When the filter element is cleaned or replaced by a new one, cleaning and removal of the filter element have been carried out after the fluid in the piping system stops flowing. Thus, in case a manually operable valve is used, the problem has occurred in view of the waste of labor and time.